UC Hastings job placement? Forum

[Darth Topher]

After reading the profile on UC Hastings, I assumed that this was a SF bay area school, meaning it is hard to find employment outside of this region. I looked at LSN and surprisingly, this school places students in many regions of the U.S.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knew the average median salary of a graduate from this school?

Lastly, Is it really in a "rough" neighborhood in SF like the article describes?

[colbytim25]

i live in SF and the neighborhood isnt great, but also not as bad as people suggest.

just dont walk alone late at night and youll be fine.

[Darth Topher]

Thanks, I think it's important people do not make "hasty" generalizations about Hastings

[emilyk]

Thanks, I think it's important people do not make "hasty" generalizations about Hastings

I visited a few weeks ago, and the area was just very urban. The same kind of urban you'll find in any major city. I certainly wasn't fearful for my life, like some articles I've read might suggest.

This wikipedia is actually really informative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenderloin ... California
It isn't cited very well, but there's some food for thought.

The Tenderloin is a high crime area, particularly violent street crime such as robbery and aggravated assault. Seven of the top ten violent crime plots (out of 665 in the entire city as measured by the San Francisco Police Department) are adjacent plots in the Tenderloin and Sixth and Market area.

Higher risk, yes. Impossible to live in, not so much.

IIRC, their median salary was freakin high, like $115???

[colbytim25]

oh, i would never live there and im pretty easy going.

try living in SOMA (south of market)...a nice 15 min walk (or quicker bike), flat ride to campus.

grr. still havent heard from them, but im in at ucla and usc, but need to stay in bay area. damn!

[emilyk]

oh, i would never live there and im pretty easy going.

try living in SOMA (south of market)...a nice 15 min walk (or quicker bike), flat ride to campus.

grr. still havent heard from them, but im in at ucla and usc, but need to stay in bay area. damn!

Umm, I'll trade you Hastings for UCLA.

[Darth Topher]

Good god! Wikipedia made the tenderloin neighborhood look like a hell-hole!

[kevsocko]

i went to an admitted students day in LA and was impressed with pretty much everything about it. lots of people with big law jobs in LA, as well as some DAs and defense attorneys. pretty cool...

[greygoose]

visited SF last january and got lost (after dark) (passed hastings), didn't seem like a particularly bad area...

[silveri]

Worked in the neighborhood for a summer and regularly caught the 5 bus at 7th and McAllister (right by Hastings) after 11 pm. In my 4 block walk to, and wait at, the bus stop from my job each night I saw gang activity, drug deals, prostitutes and plenty of homeless folks sleeping on the streets. I witnessed 2 fights severe enough that I attempted to intervene and dialed 911.
I was threatened personally once. So it's not a good neighborhood and I wouldn't recommend walking around late at night by yourself.

For context I'm a shorter than average white guy of average build. Also, I've been accepted to the school and the neighborhood won't play factor in my decision. I love SF and there are plenty of great neighborhoods close by.

[HonoluluHopeful]

$115K??! I didn't know it was that high!!

[emilyk]

$115K??! I didn't know it was that high!!

This is where I saw it: http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/median ... /MSPrivate

I wonder if it's accurate at all?

[kevsocko]

/

[prettypithy]

$115K??! I didn't know it was that high!!

This is where I saw it: http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/median ... /MSPrivate

I wonder if it's accurate at all?

USNWR reports 115k as the 75th not the median.

[kevsocko]

Starting Salaries (2005 Graduates Employed Full-time)
Private sector (25th-75th percentile): $70,000 - $125,000
Median in the private sector: $115,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information: 74%
Median in public service: $50,000

75 percentile at 125K...direct from US news site. i think we are only talking about private sector.

[prettypithy]

Ah, I see.

[thedudelebowski]

...

[kevsocko]

from what i've heard, top 25% of the class gets big law somewhat easily, assuming you have good interview skills. i think as long as you are in top 50% 90K is going to be close to a sure thing...

US news reputation score (rating from lawyers/judges) for hastings is very high for its ranking- ranked about USC, BC, Fordham, BU, W&M. i think this is the most important thing- perception is reality, and if hiring lawyers percieve hastings to be "better" or equal to these more highly ranked schools, it makes attending hastings seem a whole lot better than its rank.

[Darth Topher]

I am surprised the school is ranked low comapred to other schools that have less of a great reputation.

[kevsocko]

i know they have a very poor professor to student ratio that has damaged their standings. they used to be ranked in the top 20-25 until one year they didn't report their numbers or something and US news bitch slapped them to 45, and they haven't recovered yet. they are trying to to by lowering student numbers this year to help their ratio...

[Darth Topher]

I wonder if Hastings can place grads. outside CA?

[brizz9]

I posted this in another thread, but in case you didn't see it:

I've spoken with a couple of people in the last couple days about Hastings. One a current student there, and one a Boalt grad who is a plaintiffs attorney and worked 7 years in public interest in San Francisco before that. The attorney stressed that Hastings is a great school that he feels teaches the black letter law better than Berkeley and feels that Hastings grads are very well prepared to jump into direct services and/or litigation after graduation. He stressed the competitiveness in all realms (big law, public interest, government) and reinforced the idea that rankings do matter, but so do grades, and that a Hastings grad who does well has good career prospects, especially in the Bay Area where there are many Hastings' grads and its reputation is stellar. One thing they both stressed as an advantage to Hastings over other schools is the ability to work during the school year in San Francisco. It is much easier logistically to have an externship, internship, etc. while going to Hastings than other schools. They both stressed that the connections from these opportunities have been invaluable for people they know, leading to jobs after graduation.

[kevsocko]

I wonder if Hastings can place grads. outside CA?

i've heard that they do have some east coast placement...nothign to bet your life on, mind you...

[mrbuckfutter]

I posted this in another thread, but in case you didn't see it:

I've spoken with a couple of people in the last couple days about Hastings. One a current student there, and one a Boalt grad who is a plaintiffs attorney and worked 7 years in public interest in San Francisco before that. The attorney stressed that Hastings is a great school that he feels teaches the black letter law better than Berkeley and feels that Hastings grads are very well prepared to jump into direct services and/or litigation after graduation. He stressed the competitiveness in all realms (big law, public interest, government) and reinforced the idea that rankings do matter, but so do grades, and that a Hastings grad who does well has good career prospects, especially in the Bay Area where there are many Hastings' grads and its reputation is stellar. One thing they both stressed as an advantage to Hastings over other schools is the ability to work during the school year in San Francisco. It is much easier logistically to have an externship, internship, etc. while going to Hastings than other schools. They both stressed that the connections from these opportunities have been invaluable for people they know, leading to jobs after graduation.

You love Hastings don't you

[Darth Topher]

He's not "hasty" to jump on the "hasting's train" for sure. Sounds like a well informed man in my opinion. Thanks for sharing your insight. I think this looks like a great school, however the cost of living makes me upset.